Local community members will join hundreds from around the country bringing their voices directly to the convention of the 1%

As the Republican Party prepares to nominate Mitt Romney & Paul Ryan in Tampa, hundreds of others from across the country — including workers, concerned community members, and good jobs activists — are heading to Tampa as well. They're bringing the voices of the 99% to the convention of the 1%.

John Harris of Lakewood is an army vet, currently working for minimum wage at a local chain restaurant while struggling to get enough flight hours to qualify for a job as a pilot. He is trying hard to build a better future, but it's tough to get ahead — or even to get by — in a 1% economy that seems to only offer low wages, budget cuts, and tax breaks for the rich.

Lashawna Bowman of Kent is a mother of two struggling to make ends meet in an economy where wealth always seems to trickle up and budget cuts always seem to trickle down. She sees the way budget cuts have already impacted the school her children attend and the community where she lives, so she can't believe politicians celebrating in Tampa are actually pushing for more cuts to programs like Medicare & Medicaid.

Who: Minimum-wage worker John Harris of Lakewood; Lashawna Bowman, a mother from Kent; and hundreds of other workers, unemployed people, and concerned community members. Please note: John and Lashawna are available for interviews — contact Sage Wilson at 206-227-6014 for details.

What: 99%-ers bringing their stories and their voices to the Convention of the 1%.

When: August 27, 2012 - August 30, 2012

Where: Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida

John Harris, Lashawna Bowman, and many others from dozens of cities across the country are traveling to Tampa to call for an end to policies that would mean low-wage jobs, more corporate tax breaks for the rich, and more budget cuts on the backs of working families and their communities. They are coming to Tampa to make sure the voices of the 99% are part of the story at the convention of the 1%.

Working Washington is bringing people together to fight for a fair economy. We are speaking out to demand that our political leaders do what it takes to invest in good jobs and move the economy forward. We need good jobs — not cuts to funding for education, health care, and other services. For more information, visit WorkingWa.org

About Working Washington: Our mission is to build a powerful workers’ movement that can not only dramatically improve wages and working conditions, but can also change the local and national conversation about wealth, inequality, and the value of work. More info…

Our mission is to build a powerful workers’ movement that can not only dramatically improve wages and working conditions, but can also change the local and national conversation about wealth, inequality, and the value of work.

Working Washington fast food strikers sparked the fight that won Seattle's landmark $15 minimum wage. We drove Amazon to sever ties with right-wing lobby group ALEC and improve conditions in their sweatshop warehouses. And we helped lead the winning campaign in SeaTac for a $15 living wage.